KEVIN NARRO | Staff Writer
SAN BENITO—The road that led senior quarterback Smiley Silva to wear the purple and gold wasn’t a difficult one but one he knew he was destined to do. Born and raised in San Benito all Silva has ever known is Greyhound football.
In fact his first game he ever attended was the Battle of the Arroyo when he was just 13 years old. Since then Silva has been determined to be a part of the Greyhound program.
“This sport is my first love, ever since I was five or six years old ever since I could grip a football,” Silva said. “I played flag football when I was a kid and my first contact football was when I was in seventh grade. Me seeing the San Benito helmet, I’ve always wanted to wear it, I always wanted to be a Greyhound.”
Silva will have some big shoes to fill under center for the Greyhounds. Silva has seen in his time Erick Retta and Jacob Cavazos both lead the Hounds to the third round of the playoffs and have left behind a strong legacy.
Most folks don’t know who Silva is, the senior who is a humble quiet individual is looking to have a strong senior year and build a name for himself, while Silva who not only resembles Cavazos with his looks but also his style of play on the field.
“A lot of people really don’t know me,” Silva said. “I played last year but at wide receiver but I’m a humble guy and I’m a little nervous but I’m ready for this opportunity.”
“People get me confused with Jacob, we look alike and we both wore number seven and played quarterback,” Silva said. “I learned a lot from both of them. They taught me well on how to read defenses but I will be ready. When the season ended last year Jacob just told me this is my time and to keep working hard.”
Over the summer Silva used the 7on7 league as a time to sharpen his skills and build a chemistry with his wide outs. One of the things Silva worked on and improved on was his passing ability along with getting a grasp of the offense and his wide receivers.
“I worked on my passing and foot work drills, I also worked on my strength and I feel I reached those goals this summer,” Silva said. “I’m just excited to get on that field and play with my brothers and us playing together as a team.”
Silva and the Greyhounds will kick off their season at home against Corpus Christi Calallen Friday at 7:30 p.m.